Wakamatsu and Zduriencik decided to put together their own coaching staff, instead, and Wakamatsu will likely announce that staff some time next week.

As we said here four days ago, Oakland hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo, one of Wakmatsu's closest friends, is a strong candidate here – as a bench coach. The Mariners asked for and got permission from the Athletics to interview Van Burkleo soon after Wakamatsu was hired.

In Elia and Charlton, the Mariners have broken with their past, deciding not to bring back two men who'd been part of the organization, off and on, since Lou Piniella's early years with the franchise.

Elia was a coach and Charlton the closer in 1995, when the Mariners won the first division title in franchise history.

Wakamatsu and Zduriencik hope to make a little history of their own, and they'll try with a completely new-look approach beginning in February

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